By Richard Millott
Round 6 of the Ferntree Gully and District Cricket Association got underway on Saturday under perfect cricket conditions.
Josh McGowan celebrated his recall to the 1st XI for Knox Gardens in the match against Upwey.
The Falcons started very well with the score at 1/4 within three overs, but Matt Mulchay (45) soon led the fightback for the Tigers as they reached 4/130 from the 46 overs to tea.
Soon after tea, McGowan sent down a double wicket maiden to turn the score to 6/171 and find the way for the Falcons.
Jordan Dunstone (41), Julian Whetsone (34) and Lachie Jansen (32) pushed the score to 244, however, McGowan was the star of the day claiming 6/91.
Ferntree Gully Footballers set the highest score of the day against Belgrave.
The Magpie bowlers worked hard for the first breakthrough as Lachlan Storey (67) and Braydon Dobinson (54) both reached half centuries from the top of the order to be 2/145.
After the tea break, the Griffens’ middle order ticked over the score as Nick Bogar (30) and Kuldeep Sidhu (31) joined Cohen McElroy (74*) to close out the innings at 5/296.
For the Pies, Jarrod McPhee sent down 30 overs returning the best figures of 3/96.
Lysterfield bounced back in its key match against Eildon Park.
The Panthers were in trouble early with wickets falling in the second and third overs.
Adam Kinniburgh (3/51) struck shortly after with another double to have the score at 4/28.
Ryan Williamson (45) provided resistance to the attack to take the score to 5/98 at tea, with Darren de Souza (64*) and Jacob Evans (41) continuing the push across the day.
Brad Paull helped the Beavers close out the innings, with the Panthers reaching 9/206 from their allotment.
Upper Ferntree Gully played host to The Basin at Kings Park, restricting the Bears after some early breakthroughs.
The Kings had the score at 3/68 with Shane Luck (48) the early resistance against his former club.
Corey Williams and Sajana De Silva both claimed three wickets each while the Bears batsmen, in particular, Adam Masters (39), turned the scoreboard over to set the target at 9/207.
A defiant Steve Devenish half century helped Johnson Park in its matchup against Knoxfield.
The Knights struck early to remove both openers at 2/25, with Steve Devenish leading the middle order of Joe Hayes (33) and Gerard Petrie (38) to keep pushing the score.
The Knights shared wickets, with Trent Atkinson (3/46) the pick of the bowling, and the Sharks were dismissed for 204.
In Decoite Sheild, Olinda’s Tafadzwa Kamungozi had a good day with the ball against Mountain Gate.
Kamungozi claimed the first four wickets of the match before the Gators fought back through Shaun Morris (87) and Kallum Croxford (36) and the last wicket fell at 193.
Kamungozi claimed 6/85 from the 29 maidens he sent down for the Bloods.
Hayden Morrison led the way for Knox Gardens against St Johns Tecoma.
Morrison reached 83 for the Falcons as the only batsmen on the scorecard.
With the ball, Aaron Grenda proved a handful and his 4/23 saw the home team reach 234 across the day.
In other games, Ferntree Gully travelled up the hill to take on Monbulk and finished on 7/282, while Rowville reached 201 against South Belgrave at Seebeck Reserve.
